


Dream Catch Me

by DeathHerself



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cullen Fluff, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Inspired by Music, Love, Piano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-15 05:19:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12314541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathHerself/pseuds/DeathHerself
Summary: Ashe Trevelyan stumbles upon her charming Commander on her midnight strolls... Playing the piano in the gardens of Skyhold.





	Dream Catch Me

Music

Please before you read this little fluffy one shot, listen to the song Dream Catch Me by a very talented man called Newton Faulkner. The whole basis of this little one shot revolves around that amazing song and I hope you'll understand some of the emotions through this five with the song as a companion.

FInquisitor x Cullen of course, as I'm getting around to writing a proper long fic about them, so I'm getting my fluffies out now.

Song belongs to Newton Faulker, I have no claims to the wonderful music or to any of the Dragon age characters.

Thank you as always

DH xx

XxxXXXxxX

I supposed that the world would - hopefully - still be in a singular piece by the time I returned from my midnight stroll through the gardens of Skyhold. Especially at this unsociable hour of the morning, though I assume bad guys do sleep too, even ones claiming to be gods. The moon was sitting high in the night sky above the keep, illuminating just so to give it a mystical feel and bathing the dilapidated walls with a gentle light. It looked magical to me, the ivy glowing softly against the ancient stonework, outlining the bricks; the doves on their perches high above the stained glass seemed almost ethereal with their haloed bodies. I couldn't have hoped for more and even my exhausted brain could see the beauty in the small things tonight. I tilted my head to the stars and closed my eyes, taking in the gentle, crisp breeze that blew across my face and tousled my hair. Thank the Maker for these small miracles. When the whole of Thedas was reliant on you, when was too much? When did it stop? Would I finally rest once this was all over or would I be pestered still? Aye death would offer me some solitude but I shook that morbid thought from my head. Besides Corypheus would find a way to the fade to get his revenge regardless, and even more people would die. I couldn't afford that.

But that was not a matter for tonight, not now anyway. Tonight was for me, for a chance to sit quietly by myself, ponder the future and wonder what it could have been like in a different time. Glancing to the dark, velveteen sky again, I said a small prayer in my head that I would not fail these people, not again, not after Haven. Light caught my eyes and I watched a shooting star blaze across the sky. Here's hoping the Maker had heard me and that this was his silent response. I suppose the miracles are in the small things, I though as my silent footsteps led me to the garden, soft springy grass beneath my feet, a hundred scents of the flowers assaulting my nose and the bright eye catching dance of the lazy fireflies... How could it be better than this, what more could I ask for on my single night off.

Then it hit me.

It began slowly, methodical, yet absolutely heart rending. The piano broke the painful silence of the night, but only softly, secretly - as if it did not wish to be heard. It called to me, to places deep inside me that awakened with each key press. Who in our vast camp would have such an intimate understanding of the instrument, who could play it so wonderfully to pluck my hearts strings as they played, I longed to hear more, drifting across the gardens following the melody yet trying to stay hidden. Would I find Solas? Lelianna? Maybe even Sera?

Of course not. A shock hit me as a low, voice, thick with emotion began alongside it, catching my breath in my throat.

_"There's a place I go, when I'm alone,_

_Do anything I want, be anyone I want to be,_

_But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling,_

_That's where I'm going, where are you-"_

A stray note made me wince as it struck out of tune, followed by a stifled giggle as I heard the singing stop and a string of curses follow. Then my heart ached once more as I hear the voice that gave me butterflies, the one I knew best of all.

"How could you..."

Had I been caught? I hoped not, though it dawned on me quickly as he continued that I hadn't, he was rambling to himself. His footsteps anxiously beat at the floor and I peeked through the window to see him pacing. Hands locked behind his back, still wearing full armour as he let his feelings out. My sweet Commander was berating himself, marching across the room with his head in his hands, his hair a mess. It must have been his nightmares again, screaming his fears until the whole of Skyhold were awoken. It was like a private joke, we all knew, yet nobody said a word, we all allowed Cullen his secrets.

"How could you be so stupid?! If only she could hear you now, singing about her like a love-struck fool! What would she think seeing her Commander act like this?" He reached the wall and took a swing, some dust floating to the ground as he made contact, then turned and held his face in his hands once more. He was talking about me... He was singing that sweet, sweet song for me. Cullen...

"Just tell her you love her Cullen. No more playing around each other, ignoring the obvious. Tomorrow though... "

I hadn't realised I was crying until the silence washed over us again and the first hot tear ran down my face. I was twice the fool he was. All those jokes together, the chess games lasting hours until we were both pulled back to duty by Cassandra's glaring face. That stolen kiss on the ramparts, interrupted by poor Leeroy. How could I have been so blind as not to see my own heart betraying me. It called to him, my pulse quickening whenever I looked at him, heard his voice, smelled that lovely soap he used, lilac and toffee. It demanded I go to him, to hug him and tell him it would be okay, I loved him too, but I held back, desperate to get one last taste of his voice before I returned to my room for the night. I was not disappointed. The piano stirred once more, humming the notes more passionately this time. Stronger. There was my commander, steeling himself for the battle that would never come, the war with his own emotions flooding out through his hands and into the ivory below. His voice rang true this time, no hiding himself, and as he sang, my tears kept coming.

_"There's a place I go, when I'm alone,_

_Do anything I want, be anyone I want to be,_

_But it is us I see and I cannot believe I'm falling,_

_Hold it close won't let this go..."_

His voice picked up with the rhythm of the song, more upbeat and I hid from the window once more, leaning my head against the cool wood of the door, drinking in every note, every sound, every crack in his steady voice as we cried together of so much lost time as we pretended this was a silly crush. How could I be so lucky that during this awful war, that during all of this, I had found him? Forever the rock for me to cry on whilst my Inquisition saw only the solid leader. He was there through every time, pacing the gates as I made my way home after weeks, even months, there to greet to me... Someone to cherish as much as he seemed to cherish me. I was giddy inside through the tears.

The piano was quieting now, the song coming to its close and I paused for one last breath to catch every sound.

_"Dream catch me when I fall..._

_Or else I won't come back at all."_

The night went quiet once more. Not a single peep to show any sign of Cullen's midnight antics. A small thump sounded and I peered through the window again, wiping the hot dampness from my cheeks and chin where the tears ran rampant. He was on his feet now, handsome face silhouetted by shadows cast from the small candles around the edges of the room. I couldn't let him see me, I might never hear him again if he caught me snooping now, especially with my red eyes and sniffly nose. No, I'd leave him to himself. Yet as I turned to leave, he whispered to himself, the words echoing through my whole body.

"I love you Ashe..."

"I love you too Cullen." I said it without a thought, no second guessing. It just came to me. Yet he heard me. Damn.

"Ashe...?" I heard him call, but I was already running, mortified at being caught during such a private moment, yet my insides were warm and gloopy. By the time he had opened the door I was already halfway up the stairs to the main keep. If anything was to come of this it would be dealt with in the morning when I was ready to do so. My room door locked behind me and I drifted to sleep on the trail of happiness and the most beautiful hazel eyes I had ever seen.


End file.
